Ladder-step support



D. B. HAMPTON.

LADDER STEP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.24,1919.

, 1,344,886. Pafented June 29, 1920.

- INVENTOR Dar-word 5, yam afar:

A TTORNE YS DURWARD B. HAMPTON, OF NAIA, CALIFORNIA.

LADDER-STEP SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed December 24, 1919. Serial No. 347,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DURWARD B. HAMP- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city of Napa, in the county of Napa and State ofCalifornia, have made a new and useful inventionto wit,lmprovements inLadder-Step Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, concise, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates particularly to metal supports for securing theladder step to the ladder standards or side bars.

An object of the present improvement is to provide a cheap, simple andeffective device, easily applied and combined with the ladder standardand step and which will provide a stable and rugged connection betweenthe step and standard. A further obj ect consists in providing means forreceiving a truss support extending beneath the full length of the step.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention isillustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to such form, because itmay be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be understood that inand by the claims following the description it is desired to cover theinvention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

In the accompanying one sheet of drawings,

Figure l is a perspective view of the metal support.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same operatively applied to the stepand standard of a ladder.

In detail the construction illustrated in the drawings comprises theflat, rectangular sheet of metal 1 having the upset bent-- over oppositeends 2 and 3 adapted to overhang and be secured to the opposite edges ofthe side bars or standards 4 of a stepladder of which a fragmentarydetail is shown in Fig. 2.

The ends of the ladder step are each set in sockets formed by theintegral, embossed projections 5 and 6 struck up from theplate 1substantially cuneiform in cross section, and overhanging the upper andlower sides of the ends of the step 7 and held in proper horizontalalinement by the cross rod 8 passing through the hole 9 in the plate.The under side of the step 7 is provided with the longitudinal groove 10in which the cross rod 8 lies to prevent lateral displacement of thestep.

The projections 5 and 6, forming the step socket, are placed at a properangle to the ends 2 and 3 formed on the plate 1, to hold the steps levelwhen the ladder is inclined away from a vertical position. The stepbraces or supports may be cut and formed from an integral strip of sheetmetal with the minimum of waste.

The step end adaptable to be seated Within the socket formed by theprojections 5 and 6, is beveled parallel to the diverging or convergingangle of the side standards.

Particular attention is directed to that feature of the constructionwhereby it is unnecessary to rabbet, groove or cut away any of thesupporting standards to connect the steps thereto thereby retaining allofdthe original strength in the side standar s..

In addition to the advantage of the simplified and economic manner ofconnecting the steps and standards, it also presents no projections orabutments likely to catch in the clothes of the user, or in the limbs oftrees if the ladder is used for fruit picking. The structure is designedso that the mill work and assembly operations are simplified and at thesame time provide maximum strength with a minimum weight of material.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A ladder step support comprising a metal platehaving a pair of parallel embossments, substantially cuneiform in crosssection, formed integrally therein and forming a socket for receiving anend of a ladder step.

2. A ladder step support comprising a metal plate having a pair ofparallel embossments, substantially cuneiform in cross section, formedintegrally therein and forming a socket for receiving an end of a ladderstep, and flanged ends adapted to engage the standards of a ladder.

3'. A ladder step support comprising a metal plate having a pair ofparallel embossments, substantially cuneiform in cross section, formedintegrally therein and forming a socket for receiving an end of a ladderstep; flanged ends on said plate adapted to engage the side standard ofa ladder and means secured to said step passing through Patented June29, 1920.

said plate and standard for holding the said step and standard together.

4. A ladder step support comprising a metal plate having a pair ofparallel embossments, substantially cuneiform in cross section, formedintegrally therein and formiug a socket for receiving an end of a ladderstep; a fastening bolt on said step passing through said plate andstandard and means on said bolt for adjusting the position of said stepend Within said socket embossments relative to the standard.

5. A ladder step support comprising a metal plate having a pair ofparallel embossments, substantially cuneiform in cross section, formedintegrally therein and forming a socket for receiving an end of a ladderstep; flanged ends on said plate adapted to engage the side standard ofa ladder; a fastening bolt on said step passing through said plate andstandard and means on said belt for adjusting the position of said step

